Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to comment briefly on the process before asking specific questions about the numbers before us and suggesting some ideas for the Minister.

I welcome the process as a first step but we have a long way to go in terms of getting figures that are easy to understand and interrogate. This is not a criticism, however, because it was never going to be right on the first attempt. The ultimate objective is a small number of pages of easy to digest information. If it would be useful to the Minister’s officials, I am more than happy to offer a user’s or member’s view.

I have several questions specifically about the numbers before us. The schedule shows a movement on the Department’s ceiling from €865 million this year to €796 million next year, but when I add up the Votes I get a ceiling of €884 million for next year. The schedule, which sets out total expenditure for the State, indicates a reduction in expenditure for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of €69 million between 2012 and 2013. There is a gap of €88 million between the number set out in the schedule and the sum of the other tables.